Speaker&#39;s stand



June 27, 1950 v, COLLINS 2,512,828

SPEAKERS STAND Filed Sept. 11, 1948 6 /6 2.9 4 q 2 2. 22 mm! l 24 L l l l r 25 Patented June 27, 1950 SPEAKERS STAND Fred V. Collins, Des Plaines, Iil., assignor to William F. Stahl, Kenilworth, Ill.

Application September 11, 1948, Serial No. 48,882

4 Claims. (01. 88-24) This invention relates to an improved speakers stand.

Speakers stands have remained substantially unchanged and unimproved for centuries; a typical speakers stand consists simply of a pedestal equipped at its top with a flat table, usually inclined slightly, on which the speaker can place his notes or other reference material.

One of the major drawbacks of a conventional speakers stand is the fact that it provides the speaker with no convenient means of depositing and using the notes for a lengthy speech. As a rule the speaker's notes must be written or typed onto a series of sheets, and as the speech is delivered the speaker must shuffle the pages and, frequently, must give close attention to them in order to read the small written or printed characters thereon.

This procedure is objectionable because it makes it obvious to listeners that the speech is being read; a packet of shuilled notes is undesirable for the additional reason that they are very likely to become disarranged or some sheets may be lost.

In recent years, an increasing number of ministers, lecturers, and other public speakers have preferred to use a public-address system employing an electronic amplifier. Such a system permits a speaker to reach a large audience without unduly straining his voice. Moreover, by assuring everyone in the audience that he will be able to hear clearly, a public-address system assists a speaker greatly both in drawing crowds and in holding their attention.

Public-address systems have in the past often been built into lecture halls. churches, and auditoriums as integral parts of the structure. For use in halls not so equipped, portable publicaddress systems have been available, but have not been entirely satisfactory. In making a temporar installation of a portable system, some means must be used for supporting one or more loud speakers, and frequently no satisfactory place of concealment for the amplifier chassis is available. Thus the net result is frequently an unsightly array of loud speakers, electronic devices, and connecting cables.

This invention has been directed to the solution of the practical problems just described which beset public speakers; the resulting structure is a speaker's stand having many improvements and advantages not heretofore found in such devices.

An object of this invention is to provide a speakers stand wherein the speakers lecture notes may be presented before him in proper sequence without the necessity for his handling individual sheets of notes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a speakers stand in which the subject matter of the speakers lecture notes can be read by him from his normal standing position, without the necessity for his bending over or otherwise drawing attention to the notes.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a speakers stand wherein the notes for a lengthy lecture can be stored within the stand and passed in proper sequence before the speaker's eyes without the necessity for manual handling thereof by the speaker.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a speakers stand having built therein, as an integral part, a public-address microphone and amplifier.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a speakers stand combining a complete portable public-address system with apparatus for projecting before the speakers eyes a magnifled image of his lecture notes.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, by the following drawings, of which Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a speakers stand made according to my invention, and Fig. 2 is a semi-diagrammatic view, partly in section, of the speakers stand of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, the reference numeral Ill denotes a cabinet or housing which may be shaped somewhat like a conventional pulpit, with a slanted top portion as shown. Preferably cabinet Hi may carry a plurality of casters 2|, to facilitate its being moved about from place to place. In the rear side of the cabinet 2, pair of doors II and I! are provided to permit convenient access to the interior.

The slanting table-like portion of cabinet l0 contains a translucent screen l3, which may be made of ground glass or other material having similar translucent properties.

On the horizontal table portion of cabinet III I have provided a microphone I4, mounted on an upright shaft I5.

Within the interior of cabinet I0, as shown in Fig. 2, I have provided a pair of rollers or reels denoted respectively (6 and I1. Reels l6 and I! are carried respectively on shafts lid and Ho, which are suitably supported by the side walls of cabinet 10. In the embodiment shown, I have arranged reel I'l anterior to and above reel l6.

aeraece so that a sheet it oi paper, paret, or other material stretched between the two reels occupies a plane at an acute angle from the horizontal and substantially parallel to the plane containing screen l3.

Reel I6 is equipped with a clutch member l9 which is in turn linked by belt .22 to a foot pedal '23. Foot pedal 23 is pivoted at one end to a pivot shaft 24 carried on a bracket 25 rising from and afllxed to the floor of cabinet It. The other end of pedal 23 extends outward through the rear wall of cabinet III to a point, as best shown in Fig. 1, where it is conveniently available for operation by the right foot of a speaker standing behind the speaker's stand. Clutch I! may be of any conventional sort adapted to carry reel IS with it when turned in one direction and to release reel it when turning in the opposite direction. As shown in Fig. 2, clutch i9 is adapted to turn reel IS with it when clutch i9 is rotated counter-clockwise. A shell 26, extending between and supported by the side walls of cabinet it, serves as a guide for an elongated sheet l8 of paper, cloth, or parchment extending between the reels I6 and [1.

A pair of lamps 2! are supported by any convenlent means (not shown) within cabinet I in a position where they can illuminate the upper surface of sheet l 8.

A lens optical system 28 is positioned between sheet l8 and screen I3 where it is adapted to throw onto screens [3 a magnified image of a portion of sheet l8.

An electronic amplifier 29 is carried on the floor of cabinet Ill, and a loud speaker 30 is mounted on the front upright wall of cabinet l0, where it will be efiective to transmit sound outward toward the audience.

While the wire connections between microphone ll, amplifier 29, and loud speaker 30 are not shown in the awings, it will be understood that microphone It connected to the input termlnals of amplifier 29, while loud-speaker 30 is connected to the output terminals thereof. Any convenient means, such as power socket 3|, may be provided for supplying electrical energy to amplifier 29 and loud speaker 30.

Operation In the operation of my invention, a speaker will have his notes written, printed, or typewritten on a single long sheet of paper. If preferred. the notes can be made up on sheets of normal size and they may then be aillxed together with tape or other adhesive to form an elongated sheet. Preferably enough blank paper to extend between reels i6 and I? should be left at the top of the manuscript. It is then rolled up onto reel l1 and the free end of the sheet is suitably clipped or otherwise affixed to reel 86. This will result in the text of the notes being displayed on the sheet upside down; a reversal of orientation will take place in the convex lens system 28 and as a result an enlarged image of the text material, right side up, will appear on screen l3.

As the lecturer proceeds with his address, he will advance position of reel l6 by actuating foot pedal 23 each time he has covered all the note material within his view. The microphone and public-address system will, of course, operate effectively to carry his words to the audience. It

will be noted that in this invention the micro phone, loud speaker, and screen projection system cooperate to permit the speaker to employ to the fullest extent his skill at delivery, since he is relieved of the necessity for speag unduly loud, he is provided at all times with full notes, or verbatim text if desired, without handling or shulliing notes, and so far as the audience can detect he delivers his speech from memory or extemporaneously.

If the lecturer is accustomed to delivering at intervals a series of set speeches, reel ll may be made detachable and a large number of spare reels carried, each spare reel containing the notes for a particular speech. A suitable storage rack for such spare reels may readily be provided within cabinet it.

It will be understood that after the completion of a speech the notes therefore should either be removed from the reels or, if desired re-wound onto reel ll. Any suitable means (not shown) permitting the temporary release of clutch it may be provided to permit reel 56 to turn in the reverse direction to permit re-winding of sheet 08 onto reel fll.

While I have in this specification described in detail one embodiment of my invention for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that many changes in detail and arrangement of parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A speakers stand comprising a cabinet, a reel adapted to carry and hold for display an extended sheet of notes, clutch means afllxed to the reel, a foot pedal, linkage coupling from foot pedal to the clutch adapted upon actuation of the foot pedal to advance the sheet of notes, electronic amplifier means mounted within the cabinet, and a microphone carried by the cabinet and adapted to be coupled to the, input of the amplifier.

2. A speakers stand comprising a cabinet, a reel adapted to carry and hold for display an extended sheet of notes, clutch means afilxed to the reel, 9. foot pedal, linkage coupling the foot pedal to the clutch adapted upon actuation of the foot pedal to advance the sheet of notes, electronic amplifier means mounted within the cabinet, a microphone carried by the cabinet and adapted to be coupled to the input of the amplifier, and a loud speaker carried by the cabinet and driven by the amplifier.

3. A speaker's stand comprising an enclosed cabinet, a translucent screen mounted in the top of said cabinet, 8, reel carried within the cablnet adapted to hold for display and to advance an extended sheet of notes, a light source within the cabinet for illumination of said sheet, a lens positioned intermediate said sheet and said screen, clutch means coupled to said reel, a foot pedal, linkage coupling the foot pedal to the clutch means operative to advance said sheet on actuation of the foot pedal, an electronic amplifier carried within the cabinet, and a microphone mounted on said cabinet and adapted to be coupled to the input of said amplifier.

4. A speaker's stand comprising an enclosed cabinet, a translucent screen mounted in the top thereof, a reel adapted to hold for display and to advance an extended sheet of notes, a light source within the cabinet for illuminating said sheet, a lens positioned within the cabinet intermediate the sheet and the screen, clutch means coupled to the reel, a foot pedal, linkage coupling the foot pedal to the clutch means adapted to advance the sheet upon actuation of the foot pedal, an electronic amplifier mounted in said cabinet, a microphone carried by said cabinet 7 and adapted to be coupled to the input of said REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,372,017 Grant et a1 Mar. 22, 1921 1,801,208 Rasmussen Apr. 14, 1931 Number Number Name Date Sebille Nov. 29, 1932 Ridgway I May 15, 1934 Pfannenstlehl July 7, 1936 Katz Nov. 28, 1939 Dale Feb. 13, 1945 Mills June 4, 1946 Blane Nov. 26, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France July 8, 1929 

